While Scully and Mulder make only brief appearances, this episode is one of my all-time favorites from the series; and is truly an homage to the passion for baseball that so many have had over the years.
For a series that forces the viewer to suspend so much disbelief, this episode is unique in that it requires the viewer to suspend belief even within the universe created for the show, with an almost Pinocchio-like ending for a great character. In lesser hands, the ending would make the audience roll its collective eyes. Instead, it is quite moving.
Jesse L. Martin and Frederic Lane deserve most of the credit for creating two characters whom you are really drawn to care about: an alien who couldn't leave Earth after falling in love with the game of baseball, and a lawman who protects him from a sadly racist world in 1947. Long time fans will be gratified to see Brian Thompson's Alien Bounty Hunter finally get to speak a little bit more than usual. M. Emmet Walsh does what he does best: taking what could have been a minor narrative role, and making it yet another in a line of memorable characters that fans can embrace.
Tremendous kudos go to writer/director David Duchovny. I thought it an especially nice historic parallel to have the evil Alien Bounty Hunter dressed as and leading a group of Klansmen; even a non-fan of the show would instantly realize this man was evil to the point of supporting enslavement at all costs. The dialog walks the line of being genuine and syrupy at times, but is genuine enough that the actors were able to keep their characters believable.
I think too many episodes like this would have turned the show a bit sappy, but one episode makes for a beautiful and unique tribute in a series that contained many beautiful and unique stories. Any fan of baseball would love this episode.
For a series that forces the viewer to suspend so much disbelief, this episode is unique in that it requires the viewer to suspend belief even within the universe created for the show, with an almost Pinocchio-like ending for a great character. In lesser hands, the ending would make the audience roll its collective eyes. Instead, it is quite moving.
Jesse L. Martin and Frederic Lane deserve most of the credit for creating two characters whom you are really drawn to care about: an alien who couldn't leave Earth after falling in love with the game of baseball, and a lawman who protects him from a sadly racist world in 1947. Long time fans will be gratified to see Brian Thompson's Alien Bounty Hunter finally get to speak a little bit more than usual. M. Emmet Walsh does what he does best: taking what could have been a minor narrative role, and making it yet another in a line of memorable characters that fans can embrace.
Tremendous kudos go to writer/director David Duchovny. I thought it an especially nice historic parallel to have the evil Alien Bounty Hunter dressed as and leading a group of Klansmen; even a non-fan of the show would instantly realize this man was evil to the point of supporting enslavement at all costs. The dialog walks the line of being genuine and syrupy at times, but is genuine enough that the actors were able to keep their characters believable.
I think too many episodes like this would have turned the show a bit sappy, but one episode makes for a beautiful and unique tribute in a series that contained many beautiful and unique stories. Any fan of baseball would love this episode.